On January 22 I was fortunate enough to sit in circle with members of Movimiento Afro-Latino Seattle, Seattle Amistad School, and associated families and friends. It was an amazing gathering, and I feel honored to have sat with all of the participants. What made it all the sweeter for me was that it was truly and intergenerational gathering. Participants of all ages shared their truths, and listened to the truths of others, while our youngest members sat, danced, snacked, and colored in and around the circle. While I clearly need to improve my working Spanish, it was a treat to sit in a bi-lingual circle, and I loved the way people took care of each other translating as needed.

The focal point of the first round of this post-election circle was current fears and worries people were holding. Many answers were given including fears of running from one bad leader to another, apathy in communities, the division of minds, further disenfranchisement of the latinx community, and a general sense of loss of progress. We concluded with a round that begged the question, ‘given everything we have heard, what do the adults in the room need to do?’ The first answer should come as no surprise. It was ‘create space to meet with each other, and be intentional about creating meetings.’ The call was loud. The call was clear. As was the call for the following:

Pay more attention to legislation, especially in the eastern portion of the state.

I thank MÁS for asking me to hold this circle and thank all of you who participated and shared their wisdom, and I know there is so much that we did not get a chance to unearth. We have the answers that we need. If ever there was a time to pay heed to the word of our neighbors it is now. This particular gathering, I am sure, is but one of many to come. It is what we need to do in these strange times. Be Well.

___________

This event ended with a Puerto Rican Bomba dance workshop led by Jade Power Sotomayor and gift give away with toys donated by Toys for Tots. Thank you!

I started collaborating with MAS almost two years ago, and as my cycle comes to a temporary end (I have moved to a different city), I wanted to reflect on what these past 20 months of having MÁS in my life mean to me.

MÁS stands for Afrolatino Movement of Seattle in Spanish, and its movement inspires to create social change and racial equity by raising awareness about the contributions of Latinos of African descent. I would also add, that being part of MÁS means letting your body, mind, and soul get in motion to become a better person, a better member of your community and a better human being.

MÁS has changed my life in so many positive ways since it has taught me about the African Diaspora and how influential the reality of our Afrolatino communities are among us; about the healing capacity of art, its power to bring communities together, and about how unity can make a difference. All these lessons have created an internal thirst for self-reflection and appreciation.

Working with MÁS represented an internal growth process. From understanding my role in the organization to the overwhelming need to learn about my history, my culture, about the African Diaspora, and the systems of oppression.

If you ask me what I am for a quick visual picture, I would most likely have to answer using one of those options available in every government form or job application. I would have to identify myself as a Latina, or Mexican to be precise. This label initiates a division and classification that leads to assumptions about the color of my skin, my cultural background, my legal status and the way the world perceives me. Being part of MÁS included acknowledging the privilege and limitations the color of my skin plays into defining my daily experiences. I am a “mestiza,” (mixed) and therefore I can’t recognize myself as an Afrolatina. This by no means created a feeling of being an outsider in the organization because MÁS became my family. However, there were moments where I felt hesitant about my role and whether I should or should not express my opinion on subjects such as race and oppression mainly because I consider myself privileged in many aspects of my life.

This acknowledgment motivated me to self-reflect in addition to every shared experience with MÁS. I started thinking about Mexico. I developed a clear understanding of the oppressive system and how my culture structures it. From the idea of a “patron” (master) and a “servant”, and the power game between these two roles, to the way we culturally label beauty as white, to the way our rich vocabulary also serves as the vehicle to denigrate the one that looks different using comedy as a tool for this, to the oppression Afro-Mexicans and Indigenous people experience in my country. It was crucial to understand that these figures of speech and realities do not come from a place of hate, but that it has been institutionalized and internalized by us; that it’s hard to step out of this frame and see the whole picture when division, fear, and an ongoing competition to survive take most of our time and thoughts. Nevertheless, it is possible.

During this inner journey, I went through a period of acknowledgement and acceptance of my Indigenous and Spanish roots, which led me to learn about the presence of African roots in myself and how whenever the drums start playing my heart starts bumping faster and I can’t stop the desire to move.

This deep and sometimes painful learning experience (healing hurts), made me a better person. I am consciously working towards using my words wisely and kindly either in English or Spanish, and to not let other people’s labeling of my person define what I think and feel about myself.

One of the most important teachings I received from MÁS was to reach a balance between loving my roots, being proud of my language and the place I come from, but also to be capable of admiring, learning and recognizing myself in other communities and other cultures. It awakened a desire to understand why other people are who they are, and where they are in life, feel the way they feel, and to have that kid-like curiosity of learning all about them while appreciating their contributions to our communities, to our countries, and to our world.

This appreciation comes from not positioning one culture over the rest, and it entails the ability to appreciate each culture while understanding the equitable role tthey play in our world. It’s sharing your roots, your language, your experiences, your beautiful skin, and hair, to contribute, amaze and be amazed by how many things we can accomplish together. We just need to listen and open our hearts to see the beauty of each one of us through the eyes of gratitude and its capability to heal and make this world a better place.

I feel nothing but gratitude to each one of the people I have met through this organization. I feel empowered to be true to who I am, to be thankful for my roots and recognize in every piece of myself the reflection of the other. It’s been my pleasure and honor to be part of this amazing group of people. My heart is full of love, gratefulness and hope. MÁS keeps moving me every day. I invite you to let MÁS move you, and join to help MÁS continue moving and contributing to the world.

Monica Rojas-Stewart (Executive Director) and Milvia Pacheco (President of the Board) shared on the radio information about the MÁS mission, activities, the need in our community for an organization like this and the impact of such initiative. This interview was aired November 27th through Rock 98.9 KVRQ, Warm 106.9 KRWM, MOViN 92.5 KQMV, and AM 880 KIXI .

We thank Gary Shipe profoundly for the opportunity to share our work with the larger community.

Twelfth Annual Ofrenda Exhibit
Opening: November 1st
Exhibit open to the public until November 18th
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am-6pm
Thursdays 12pm-8pm

The MÁS Altar

The spiritual and religious practices among MÁS members and within the African diaspora in Latin America and the Caribbean are very diverse. MÁS’ participation at the twelfth annual altar exhibit at Centro de la Raza is an honor and a unifying spiritual act of community.

~

The overarching theme Centro de la Raza chose for their twelfth edition of their altar exhibition within the Day of the Death celebrations was the topic of “voting.” Voting is defined as the official choice that individuals make in an election by casting a ballot, raising their hand, or speaking their choice aloud. While African descent people were not allowed to actively participate in elections until relatively recent years and their demands have historically been shut down there were people who raised their voices through action. MÁS recognizes and honors those Latinos of African descent who dedicated their lives to fighting for social justice with strong commitment to empowering their communities while embracing their roots. The MAS altar celebrates the contributions of some of our leaders to inspire our community to feel proud, to recognize our shared history and our cultural roots, and continue working towards social change and racial equity.

The “TUMI USA Awards” seek to recognize Peruvians in the U.S. who have excelled in their careers, in community service, and for their contributions to the well-being of society. On September 24, 2016, in the twenty-first edition of the “Peruvian Oscar” Monica Rojas, executive director of MÁS, was awarded a TUMI USA Award in the “Professional of the Year for Washington State” category.

In our Executive Director own words: “With great humility I need to thank Excelencia Tumi USA, for giving me the immense honor of seeing myself among so many Peruvians of real excellence, successful, working incessantly to make this a better world… I never felt so proud to be Peruvian. I feel profoundly inspired to continue working and continue uplifting my country, Peru.”

Monica, we are so lucky and proud to have a leader who through art and example inspires us to seek social change and racial equity.

Afro-Cuban dances constitute a wonderful example of a culture of resistance among enslaved individuals transported from diverse areas in Africa to Cuba. The different dances that accompany religious rituals of these African cultures have been transformed as a result of transculturation processes, now part of Cuba’s cultural heritage and one of the richest sources for dance and music in the island

I started my artistic career as a dancer of Afro-Cuban dances. The impact this had in my life was huge. I was a very shy and introverted kid. Dance helped me express myself, to communicate and to better relate to those around me. It was wonderful for me to learn about the richness of the Afro-Cuban culture and the different modalities that exist within the Orisha realm. This is why I would like to share with you my experience and my culture.

The moment I became interested in dance was when my mother took me to see a performance of various popular dances. I was then 13 years old and I was practicing boxing at the time, just like the majority of kids my age… and I didn’t like it I remember that presentation clearly. What I liked the most was the happiness reflected in the faces of the dancers. One could perceive that they were having so much fun. I also like that there were couple dances and there were several women, something non-existent in boxing. All of that motivated me to dance!

I felt, and I feel to this day, that dance is a very beautiful mode of expression. When you are dancing nothing matters, only to feel good and enjoy even when you have a thousands of problems in your everyday life. It is a magical moment in which you and the rest of the dancers travel to a wonderful place where, once you get there, you do not want to come back.

I want to share this part of my culture with the community because I feel that it is trough Afro-Cuban dance that I am not only teaching dance. I am also telling a story; the history of the Orishas from the Yoruba culture as well as the history of enslaved blacks in Cuba, in this case the Palo (Congo) tradition.

My goal, and I think any artist’s goal, is touch people’s hearts with my art, in this case dance. I feel that dance changed my life for the better and the same way it helped me it can help many other people. My dream is that my culture is increasingly recognized and to be able to inspire every day more and more people to cultivate it so that it doesn’t die out. Personally, what keeps me motivated is my thirst to learn from those around me. That makes me prepare myself better every day and learn so that I can transmit that knowledge to my students.

As Cuban, I feel very proud to be able to contribute my two cents so that our culture transcends. There are many of us out there supporting, educating, and uniting communities through art. Some do it through music; others through film or theater productions; I am doing it through dance!

MÁS Executive Director Monica Rojas-Stewart participated as one of the lead artists in La Cocina, an arts space provided by La Sala in which Latino artists from various disciplines “cooked” together different projects. La Cocina lasted the entire month of August and popped up in the Good Arts building in Pioneer Square. As part of the “menu” Rojas-Stewart presented “They Screamed Black at Me,” a poem by Victoria Santa Cruz, considered the mother of Afro-Peruvian theater and dance. This poem explores processes of racial conscience, self-esteem and self-empowerment. The “cooks” who supported Rojas’ piece were Fernando Luna (Theater), Xavier Lopez (visual arts), Tony Gomez and Rebecca Garcia (Music).

The final product was the result of a creative process between Rojas-Stewart and dancers Milvia Pacheco (Venezuela), Dora Oliveira (Brazil), and Valentina González (Chile) who wove their own life stories with Santa Cruz’ poem and told them through poetry and movement. “At the beginning we focused on Victoria’s poem but very soon the process took a different life the life of the dancers and their own processes of empowerment” says Rojas-Stewart. “This experience proved once more the power of the arts to reflect…and heal.”

The first part of Victoria’s poem tell the moment in which “some voices in the street called me Black” and continues “I thought to myself, am I really Black?What does it mean to be black?” Valentina Gonzalez tell when she immigrated to the United States how people assumed things and started labeling her. It is then when for the first time she starts questioning aspects of her identity. “Latina!”, “are you illegal?”, “Do you have a passport?”, “do you clean houses?” Valentina shares “even one time I was called ‘Mercedes’! That is not my name.”

The poem then expresses denial and rebellion, when she doesn’t let people humiliate her. “So what? So what? Black, yes, Black I am, Black, Black, Black I am.” Dora Oliveira shared anecdotes related to humiliating experiences she went through because of certain physical characteristics, her struggle to study ballet at the University of Bahia in Brazil, the rejection from her teacher and how she still finished her studies despite the obstacles. She did that to show the world that “I can dance like you… and I can dance like me… because I carry the power of my ancestors… because I carry my family’s heritage. I am Black.”

From a rebel stage Victoria Santa Cruz arrives at her empowerment and finishes her poem saying “I Finally I understood; I do not regress; I move forward with pride; I move forward and wait… I have the key!” Milvia Pacheco wrote

“Dance, dance that Tambor* with love and reflection

Lift your eyes on the beat and show the smile of your Danzon*

You have the key to your freedom

And you have found it when awakening

Don’t let your feet tremble out of fear

When you dance at the rhythm of dignity

Because your heritage calls and claims

A just action to achieve equity

Black woman, Black woman, Black woman wake up!”

*Tambor and Danzon are two music and dance genres originally from Venezuela and Cuba respectively

Next we share Victoria Santa Cruz’ poem

“They screamed Black at me” (Poem by Victoria Santa Cruz)

I was only seven years oldOnly seven yearsWhat seven years old???I wasn’t even five yet…when suddenly some voices in the streetscreamed at me ¡Negra! (Black Girl!)Black! Black! Black! Black!Back! Black! Black!

I thought to myself, am I really Black?Yes!What does it mean to be black?Black!And I didn’t know the sad truthThat this was hidingBlack!And I felt BlackBlack!Just like their screamsBlack!And I rolled backBlack!Just like they wanted me toBlack!And I hated my hairAnd my thick lipsI felt ashamed of my toasted skinAnd I rolled backBlack!And I rolled backBlack! Black! Black! Black!Black! Black! Black!Black! Black! Black! Black!Black! Black! Black! Black!And time passed byAnd always feeling bitterI continued carrying this heavy loadon my backAnd how heavy it was!I straightened my hairI powdered my faceAnd deep down inside of me This same word kept resoundingBlack! Black! Black! BlackBlack! Black! Blaaaack!Until one day as I was rolling backand rolling back until I was going to fall

So What?So What?Black!YES!Black!Black I AM!Black!Black!Black!I AM Black!Black!YES!Black!Black I AM!Black!Black!Black!I AM Black!from this day forward I do notwant to straighten my hairI do not want to!& I’m gonna laugh at thosewho by avoidingaccording to them“bad taste”call black peoplepeople of colorAnd what color is that?BLACK!And how beautiful it sounds!BLACK!And what rhythm it has!Black! Black! Black! Black!Black! Black! Black!Black! Black! Black! Black!Black! Black! Black! Black!FinallyFinally I understoodFINALLYI do not regress FINALLYI move forward with prideFINALLYmove forward and waitFINALLYI thank the heavens abovebecause is God’s willthat deep blackmy color was meant to beand now I understandFINALLYI have the key!Black Black Black BlackBlack Black Black BlackBlack Black Black BlackBlack BlackI am Black!